Screen assembly for a vibratory separator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11077465-B2
Application number	US-201916455683-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2019
Priority date	Jun 27, 2019
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

Systems and methods for a screen assembly configurable in a multi-screen configuration. The screen assembly in the multi-screen configuration includes a lower shaker screen and an upper shaker screen. A track is configured to be disposed on an inside wall of a vibratory separator and includes an upper retainer and a lower retainer. A screen clamping assembly is disposed in the track and includes a small spacer disposed between the lower shaker screen and the upper shaker screen in the track when the screen assembly is in the multi-screen configuration. An actuator is disposed in the track and has a clamped position where the actuator is actuated to provide a clamping force to clamp the lower shaker screen, the upper shaker screen, and the small spacer between the upper retainer and the lower retainer of the track.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A screen assembly comprising:
a lower shaker screen and an upper shaker screen, and wherein the screen assembly is configurable in a multi-screen configuration comprising the lower shaker screen and the upper shaker screen;
a track configured to be disposed on an inside wall of a vibratory separator and comprising an upper retainer and a lower retainer; and
a screen clamping assembly disposed in the track, the screen clamping assembly comprising:
a small spacer having a first spacer dimension selected to correspond to the multi-screen configuration, and wherein the small spacer is disposed between the lower shaker screen and the upper shaker screen in the track to space the lower shaker screen at a lower level and the upper shaker screen at an upper level in the track when the screen assembly is in the multi-screen configuration; and
an actuator disposed in the track and having a clamped position where the actuator is actuated to provide a clamping force to clamp the lower shaker screen, the upper shaker screen, and the small spacer between the upper retainer and the lower retainer of the track.

2. The screen assembly of claim 1 , wherein the multi-screen configuration has an unclamped position where the actuator is de-actuated to release the clamping force on the lower shaker screen, the upper shaker screen and the small spacer; and wherein the lower shaker screen, upper shaker screen, and the small spacer are configured to be removed from the track when in the unclamped position of the multi-screen configuration.

3. The screen assembly of claim 2 , wherein the upper retainer is configured to extend from an inner wall of a vibratory separator and the lower retainer is configured to extend from the inner wall of the vibratory separator, and wherein the actuator comprises a bladder disposed below the upper retainer, and wherein the bladder is inflatable to position the actuator in an actuated position and deflatable to position the actuator in a de-actuated position.

4. The screen assembly of claim 3 , wherein the bladder comprises a nozzle configured to inflate and deflate the bladder, and wherein the upper retainer comprises a top retainer wall and the nozzle extends through the top retainer wall.

5. The screen assembly of claim 1 , wherein the screen clamping assembly further comprises a screen seal, and wherein the screen seal is disposed between the small spacer and the lower shaker screen when the screen assembly is in the multi-screen configuration.

6. The screen assembly of claim 1 , wherein the screen assembly is configurable in a single screen configuration and further comprises:
a first shaker screen;
a large spacer having a spacer dimension larger than the small spacer and sized to correspond to the single screen configuration, and wherein the large spacer is disposed adjacent the actuator and between the actuator and the first shaker screen to position the first shaker screen in the track at a first level when the screen assembly is in the single screen configuration;
wherein the single screen configuration has a clamped position where the actuator is actuated to provide a clamping force to clamp the larger spacer and the first shaker screen between the upper retainer and the lower retainer of the track.

7. The screen assembly of claim 6 , wherein the single screen configuration has an unclamped position where the actuator is de-actuated to release the clamping force on the first shaker screen and the large spacer; and wherein the first shaker screen and the large spacer are configured to be removed from the track when in the unclamped position of the single screen configuration.

8. The screen assembly of claim 7 , wherein when the screen assembly is in the multi-screen configuration, the upper retainer extends over at least a portion of a top surface of the upper shaker screen, a top surface of the lower shaker screen, and a top surface of the small spacer, and the lower retainer extends under at least a portion of a bottom surface of the lower shaker screen, a bottom surface of the upper shaker screen, and a bottom surface of the small spacer; and wherein when the screen assembly is in the single screen configuration the upper retainer extends over at least a portion of a top surface of the first shaker screen and a top surface of the large spacer, and the lower retainer extends under at least a portion of a bottom surface of the first shaker screen and a bottom surface of the large spacer.

9. The screen assembly of claim 6 , wherein the screen clamping assembly further comprises a screen seal, wherein the screen seal is disposed between the small spacer and the lower shaker screen when the screen assembly is in the multi-screen configuration, and wherein the screen seal is disposed between the large spacer and the first shaker screen when the screen assembly is in the single screen configuration.

10. The screen assembly of claim 6 , wherein the screen clamping assembly further comprises a spacer retainer assembly, and wherein the spacer retainer assembly comprises:
a spacer keyway in the large spacer; and
a spacer retainer sized for the spacer keyway disposed in the track and configured to secure the large spacer in the track.

11. A method for installing a screen assembly of a vibratory separator, comprising:
installing the screen assembly in a multi-screen configuration, wherein the screen assembly has a lower shaker screen, an upper shaker screen, a track, and an actuator disposed in the track, and comprising:
inserting in the track the lower shaker screen at a lower level;
inserting in the track above the lower shaker screen a small spacer having a first spacer dimension selected to correspond to the multi-screen configuration;
inserting in the track above the small spacer the upper shaker screen at an upper level; and
actuating the actuator disposed in the track to provide a clamping force to clamp the small spacer, lower shaker screen, and the upper shaker screen inserted in the track between an upper retainer and a lower retainer of the track in a clamped position of the multi-screen configuration.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
when in the clamped position of the multi-screen configuration, de-actuating the actuator to release the clamping force to position the screen assembly in an unclamped position where the actuator is de-actuated to release the clamping force on the lower shaker screen, the upper shaker screen and the small spacer; and
when in the unclamped position of the multi-screen configuration, slidably removing the lower shaker screen, upper shaker screen, and the small spacer from the track.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising installing the screen assembly into a single screen configuration, comprising:
inserting a first shaker screen into the track at a first level;
inserting in the track above the first shaker screen and adjacent the actuator a large spacer having a second spacer dimension larger than the first spacer dimension of the small spacer and selected to correspond to the single screen configuration; and
actuating the actuator to provide a clamping force to clamp the large spacer and the first shaker screen inserted in the track between the upper retainer and the lower retainer of the track in a clamped position of the single screen configuration.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first shaker screen is the lower shaker screen.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein installing the screen assembly in the single screen configuration further comprises securing the large spacer in the track with a spa

Assignees

• Mi Llc
• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Fedders John

Classifications

• B07B2201/02

  Fastening means for fastening screens to their frames which do not stretch or sag the screening surfaces · CPC title

• B07B1/4609 Primary

  constructional details of screening surfaces or meshes · CPC title

• B07B1/36

  jigging or moving to-and-fro in more than one direction · CPC title

• B07B2201/04

  Multiple deck screening devices comprising one or more superimposed screens · CPC title

• B07B1/4618 Primary

  Manufacturing of screening surfaces · CPC title